


Short Circuit

by Uglysweater



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Cat cafe AU, M/M, kissin, no cats where harmed in the making of this fic, rated t because of the word fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 04:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7152503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uglysweater/pseuds/Uglysweater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there were a pair of words that struck a sense of doom and terror into Yaku Morisuki’s heart more than any other pair of words together, it would probably be “He’s back.” </p><p> </p><p>A coffee shop au but even better because its a cat cafe and theres cats</p>
            </blockquote>





	Short Circuit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FoxyMulder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxyMulder/gifts).



If there were a pair of words that struck a sense of doom and terror into Yaku Morisuki’s heart more than any other pair of words together, it would probably be “He’s back.” 

The resigned was in which Kenma would say that particular pair of words did little to help the whole doom and terror sensation. Kenma whispered those words close to 2pm roughly three times a week in his unenthusiastic and low speaking voice like some cat hair covered harbinger of annoyance. 

Without fail those words were always closely followed by nearly two meters of excitement and limbs hurtling into Catcus Cat Cafe. 

That afternoon, like many afternoons since Haiba Lev apparently discovered that the cat cafe existed and began showing up as often as he could, had started off as peaceful. Yaku quietly bid farewell to the quiet and went to go fill his extra large employee mug with coffee. 

There was not enough coffee in the world to handle Lev. 

“Good morning Yaku!” Lev shouted. 

“It's two in the afternoon, Lev.” 

“Oh, well I just woke up.” 

Yaku sighed as Lev handed over his entrance fee. He glanced around for Kenma, who was supposed to handling check in today, but the other boy mysteriously vanished after announcing Lev’s imminent presence. 

Instead of continuing through to the actual cat section of the cat cafe Lev stuck by the front desk. He fiddled with a pen that didn't belong to him while Yaku attempted to ignore him. 

“It's a good thing this is a cafe, right?” Lev finally asked, breaking Yaku’s brief return to peace, “I mean, if I just woke up, it's a good thing I can still come to my favorite place and not miss breakfast.” 

He continued after a moment of no response from Yaku, “After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'm so glad I don't have to choose between coming here and-” 

“Lev.”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to order something.” 

Lev smiled, “Well since you brought it up, I'd love one of the bran muffins you had last week if it's still available. And a small coffee thank you Yaku-san.” 

Lev and all of his tall grey hair wandered into the cafe and found a seat. Yaku rolled his eyes and went to the kitchen to grab the requested bran muffin. 

After dropping off the muffin and coffee Yaku retreated back to the kitchen. He noticed the coffee was low in the pot and it was probably due for another batch brewed. It absolutely had nothing to do with wanting to hide in the kitchen until Lev tired himself out and stopped trying to talk to him. 

Kenma reappeared while Yaku was wrestling with the coffee machine. 

“I can't believe you just bailed on me, come on.” He told Kenma. “You’re lucky this place is empty.”

“It's going to happen today.” Kenma said forbodinly. 

A blast of steam hit Yaku in the face. He coughed and sputtered before asking, “What's going to happen?” 

After a moment of silence Yaku turned to see what the heck Kenma was talking about. Kenma was leaning against the kitchen wall, mouth turned down at the corners and arms crossed over his chest. He was peering out the small kitchen window towards Lev in the other room. He pointed to one of the taller cat trees, the one behind the hollowed out television surrounded by plushy macaroons. “That's the one.” 

“Is this that stupid bet you have with Kuroo again?” Yaku asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Oh my god. You're both -”

“Hey.” Kenma interrupted with a wince. He spoke softer than someone usually would if they were trying to pause someone else’s angry speech, but Yaku paused anyway because it was Kenma. “Don't yell. Kuro’s the one who convinced the owner wearing those cat ears at work was too creepy and kinky.” 

“Jeeze, I know. That was like a year ago you don't have to keep holding that over my head to get me to be nice.” 

Kenma didn't respond, he turned back to look out the window. Yaku moved over to look out at Lev petting the calico sleeping on the couch. 

“Kuro thinks it'll be a close call today, but he won't actually bring the place down until next month.” 

“Next month? Kuroo’s got a lot of faith in Lev’s restraint.” Yaku snorted. 

Kenma sighed, “Kuro doesn't have to deal with him three times a week. He doesn't know.” 

The bet between Kuroo and Kenma began two months ago when Lev first started coming to the cafe. Kuroo had come by to check up on how the newer cats were acclimating. He was putting one of the older cat’s joint medication refill up in a cabinet when he watched Lev trip over a bowl of water, slipping the contents as well as himself all over the floor. Kuroo turned to Kenma and said, “That boy is going to tear this place down.” 

“Yaku will ban him before that happens.” Kenma said. “I give it two more months.” 

Yaku had just rolled his eyes and grabbed the mop. 

Now, months since the original event and hours since Lev’s arrival that afternoon, Yaku watched in what felt like slow motion as the tabby Lev was playing with bolted away. Lev, still holding the holding the handle of a fishing rod with a catnip mouse attached to the line abruptly stood to watch it run off saying “Wait no!”. As the tall boy stood, the fishing rod came with him, as did the table most of the line was wrapped around. The table upended with a bang and Lev jumped back at the sound. Startled by the sound of the table and the site of a six foot three human airborn about nine cats in the immediate area scrambled away. To catch his balance and not step on any of the fleeing cats Lev reached out and held on to the cat tree above him. 

The cat tree, the very same cat tree Kenma had marked earlier, creaked ominously. There was enough time for Lev glance pleadingly towards Yaku before the branch, designed to hold any cat but probably not rated to support the weight of a six foot three human, snapped. The rest of the tree rebounded the opposite direction and crashed to the floor. Any cat left in Catcus Cafe who hadn't woken up when the commotion started was certainly awake and pissed now. 

Yaku could relate. 

“Get out.” He said, more to the mess on the floor than at Lev directly. He couldn't look at Lev directly right now. 

“Yaku I'm s-” 

“No. Just get out. Please.” 

“I can clean it up!” 

“Leave it. You need to go.” Yaku said with enough finality that Lev let it drop. The tall boy gathered himself off the floor and left quietly. Yaku had never seen him so quiet. Whatever. He refused to feel bad about it. Or at least he wasn't going to feel bad about it until the mess was cleaned up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A week later Kenma looked out the window and said, “He’s back.” 

Yaku groaned. Standing next to Kenma looking out the window he could see Lev at the food truck across the street. Lev sat at the bench in the parking lot with his shoulders hunched over a taco looking forlornly over towards their cafe. 

“He can't come in.”

“He’s been moping there since Monday.” 

“I don't care.” 

“Kuro fixed the tree.” 

“I don't care. Why are you pushing this? You don't even like him!” 

“I don't mind him.” Kenma shrugged then added, “Plus, you do.” 

Yaku snorted, “What the hell are you talking about?” 

“Nothing.” 

Later that afternoon, when Kuroo was in, Yaku caught him and Kenma whispering by the window. It sounded to Yaku like they were developing a new bet. He didn't like it. He couldn't tell what the bet was about but he didn't like it. He especially didn't like that it sounded like the bet involved him. Yaku huffed and turned back to help the couple interested in adopting the small orange cat with a limp. 

Five days later, much to his own dismay, found Yaku standing outside of Catcus. He took a deep breath, waiting for him to talk himself out of doing this. When nothing happened he sighed again and cupped his hands around his mouth. 

“Hey!” He shouted at the food truck across the street and the boy moping by it. 

Lev immediately jumped out of the bench he had been slumping in. “Me?” He shouted back. 

“Yes, get over here you pool noodle.” 

Lev sprinted across the three street, a car swerves to avoid him. He’s panting lightly by the time he reaches Yaku. Yaku rolled his eyes and it distracts from the grin he can't fight down at Lev's enthusiasm. 

Lev quickly reigned his own massive smile under control then looked at the ground under Yaku's feet in shame, “Yaku I'm so _sooo_ sorry I knocked everything over and I’ll do better next time.” 

“Alright relax,” Yaku briefly considered patting him on the shoulder in encouragement, got a as far as reaching his hand out, before pulling it back and telling Lev to get inside before he changes his mind. Lev scampers through the entrance and goes right past Kenma at check in. Yaku palms his own face and shouts, “Lev, you still have to pay.” 

Later that afternoon Kuroo arrived to take the temperature of one of the cats Kenma thought wasn't feeling well yesterday. He looked silently from Lev to Yaku then back and forth again. Then glanced at Kenma and smirked in a way that make Yaku want to kick the both of them. And probably Lev for good measure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working at Catcus Cafe was generally, unless there was a six foot three menace breaking things, a pretty quiet affair. It never got too crowded and by nature cat people are generally quiet and keep to themselves. No one asked for fancy drinks they couldn't make. No one got rowdy with the cats. Everything was typically quiet and chill. What was strange was the days when six foot three menace who had a penchant for breaking things was quiet and calm. 

Lev was on the couch with a long black cat curled up on his lap. The name on the cats tag said biscuit but Kenma had taken to calling him Kuro. [Kenma had also taken to calling Lev _Leg_ because he was one of the most inspirationally rude people Yaku had ever met]. Lev also had not said a word in over forty five minutes. He hadn't moved in at least that long either. Yaku thought for a moment he must have fallen asleep, not unheard of in his work environment, but he could see Lev's hand gently stroking the cat’s fur. 

It was unsettling somehow to Yaku. It felt off. It felt like those moments when he shivers and can just tell he's going to come down with a bad cold in two days. It felt weird. Yaku found himself unable to stop watching. Like watching a car crash. But slower and taller and with more fur. And less violent probably. 

He couldn't stop staring. He gave up the pretense of just checking on Lev and the cat with glances out of the corner of his eye and now had his chin propped up in his palm watching from the desk. It was a slow day anyway. There wasn't much better to do that watch Lev pet a cat. At least that's what he told himself.

Kenma came to stand by his side. He yawned and flopped his arms over the desk. “I filled the ground level dishes, can you get the rest.” He asked. 

Yaku rolled his eyes and grabbed the cat food bag Kenma had dragged over off the floor. Cats had this unfortunate desire to exist high off the ground. It was a desire the staff of Catcus did not generally share. But, since Yaku worked at a cat cafe and not a humans that work at cat cafes cafe, there were three food and water dishes placed on top of the long wide shelf that wrapped the room. 

It was convenient for most of the less social cats who preferred to nap out of reach of grabbing hands. It was less convenient for the staff under 5’7. There was a step stool in the back room for the job but Yaku still had to stand on his toes to reach the bowls. 

Yaku nearly jumped out of his skin when a voice from directly behind him while he was balanced precariously on his toes eight feet above the ground said, “Do need help.” 

He'd dent every yelping if prompted but Yaku will admit to nearly losing his balance up there. He might have lost his life as well falling off a step stool holding a ten pound bag of cat food above his head if a pair of large warm hands hadn't braced his waist before he started to fall. 

He regained his footing at turned to face Lev, who was holding his waist. Lev hadn't even let go, he just loosened his grip enough to let Yaku swivel around. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Yaku asked. He had just experienced a life threatening situation. Which would explain how red and warm his face felt. Nothing else. Certainly not a warm large thumb pressed against his hip bone. 

“What a turn of events Yaku!” Lev said, without a trace of awkwardness, “You're taller than me now.” 

Ah. There it was. There's the frown Yaku was looking for on his own face. “It's because I'm on a ladder, Lev. I swear if you act surprised that I'm taller than six feet standing on a ladder I'll kick your ass right out of here again, you over cooked spaghetti.” 

But nothing deterred Lev's grin. He lifted Yaku off the step stool. Yaku swung his legs but none of his kicks found purchase on the tall boys torso like he intended. 

“You're banned again.” Yaku said as soon as his feet touched earth again. 

Lev gaped at him, “What?? I didn't say anything!” 

“Ugh. Your face is banned. No face should be that high off the ground. Get out. Get out of my face.” Yaku turned and stomped off, dragging the bag of cat food behind him. 

“Uh?” He heard Lev say. As Yaku passed Kenma on his way to the background the other boy said, “It's fine Lev. Just go sit down somewhere. Go make yourself shorter.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lev's strange quiet days continued. Yaku tried to find it comforting, the quiet, but it was disconcerting. He wasn't just quiet, Lev looked sad. He stopped running around and playing with the cats. Over the past week of quiet days Yaku's even caught Lev frowning down at the cat curled up in his lap a few times. Always the little black cat. Which had Yaku feeling extra shitty about what he had to do next. 

“Hey,” Yaku said, leaning over the couch Lev and the cat had curled up on. Lev looked up at him with big, round, sad eyes. Yaku looked down at the cat. 

“So,” He continued, “Get your time in now with this one. She’s about to be adopted.” 

“Oh,” Lev said with a sigh. He looked down at the cat and scratched behind her ears. She leaned into the attention. “That makes sense.” 

“Yeah. She's, uh, a good cat.” 

Lev's shoulders shuddered. Fuck, Yaku wasn't prepared to emotionally comfort someone about a cat right now. He rarely was. He had never been the type of guy to lend a supporting hand on a back. He was never going to be the person to say ‘it's okay it's going to be okay’ just to say it. 

He sighed, “Do you, uh, wanna talk about it?” 

“No, it's fine. I'll get out of your way soon.” Lev said as he shook his head. Then he ran the back of his hand under his nose with a sniffle. “I wouldn't want to waste your time.” 

“It's fine, I can take my break now. Kenma can handle things for a minute. Right, Kenma?” Yaku glanced at Kenma, who glared back in a way that said ‘I can handle things for a minute but will be extremely unhappy about it and you’ll be taking my litter box duty for the rest of the week if anyone tries to talk to me’. Yaku turned back to Lev and said, “Yeah he's fine, scootch over.” 

Lev slid over, careful not to disturb the tiny lump of fur sleeping in his lap. He sighed deeply when Yaku sat down next to him. 

“My sister is moving.” 

Yaku's first thought was ‘Oh so it's not the cat he's upset about.’ Almost immediately after he realized, ‘Lev has a sister. I know something about his life now that I didn't know before.’ 

“You have a sister?” He asked finally. 

“Yeah.” Lev said with a dreary sigh. Yaku wasn't sure what to do here. His sister moving away was clearly eating the guy up, but what was Yaku going to do about it? Nothing he could say or do was going to change that fact. Plus, any minute now, Kenma was going to start throwing cat toys at the back of his head to get Yaku off his break and save him from having to interact with customers.

Despite all that, Yaku found himself leaning back and getting comfortable. “So what's t she like?” 

And just like that the floodgates unleashed. Lev began telling him everything there was to know about his sister Alisa. She let him live in her spare room after he graduated. She was tall, like him. Had grey hair, like him. Yaku learned about what she did and where she went to school and about the dance classes she was in when they were young that Lev was jealous about and the time she had to save Lev when he got stuck in a tree when he was four. Story after story Lev began brightening up until he was smiling with all his teeth and talking with all his limbs and Yaku found himself laughing right along with him when Lev told about the disastrous time Alisa brought her first boyfriend home to meet the family. 

Yaku was a little disturbed to find that at some point they’d shifted closer, close enough that their shoulders were brushing. Yaku was more disturbed to discover that he didn't mind at all when their shoulders brushed. After a while he glanced around, looking for Kenma. Behind the front desk Kuroo had joined Kenma. Both were looking at Yaku on the couch with Lev. The latter peering over the top edge of his phone and the former watching Yaku with a shit eating grin. 

“You don't even work here.” He flicked a catnip mouse at Kuroo. 

“Do _you_ work here?” Kuroo asked, “You've been sitting on the couch since I got here.” 

“I had to talk to him.” Kenma said with a groan, turning back to his phone screen. 

“Yeah, but you love talking to me.” 

“No I don't.” 

Yaku ignored the rest of their bickering and glanced at the clock. “Shit,”. He mumbled. He'd been sitting with Lev for nearly half an hour. Three times as long as their allotted employee breaks. He signed and turned back to Lev. “Hey, I gotta get back to work. You okay?” 

“Oh yeah. I should get going anyway.” He grinned bright and wide, looking much happier than he had when he'd arrived. They both stood and Yaku headed back to the front desk, determined to organize that day's receipts before closing without hearing and teasing from Kuroo. 

Walking back to the desk Kenma caught his eye and nodded towards the front door. Yaku paused and frowned. When Kenma did the gesture again Yaku turned around. Lev was standing just inside the entrance, wringing his hands. 

“Thank you,” He said in a gentle voice Yaku had no idea what to do with, “that was really nice.” 

Then Lev pivoted and walked out so fast the automatic door nearly didn't clear the way for his shoulders. 

Yaku turned away from the closing door slowly, fairly confused as to why his own face felt so warm, to see Kuroo still grinning. “Fuck off.” He told him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It became a bit of a habit after that, taking his break with Lev. There wasn't any rule against taking your break in the main floor. Plus, even though it definitely smelled like cat food it smelled less like cat food than it did in the employee break room where they stored the cat food. Lev was there anyway. Why not? Yaku would deny it if Kuroo asked again but even with Lev’s constant questions it was nicer than sitting alone. Only a little nicer. 

He was a nice kid. Too tall. Almost rudely blunt sometimes. But nice to be around. It wasn't a big deal. 

“Bye,” Yaku said, waving over his shoulder to Lev. They'd been spending Yaku’s break together at the cafe for almost two weeks. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He called out and then immediately winced at his own wording. He usually liked to play it fast and loose. Would he take his break with Lev that day? Who knows? Not only that, Yaku almost sounded excited at the idea of seeing Lev tomorrow. Which was absurd. It was absurd that Yaku would actually be looking forward to spending time with Lev. He was a nice kid and all but honestly too tall! And rudely blunt! It wasn't a thing to get excited about! This wasn't a thing. 

“Is this going to be a thing?” Kenma asked him, even looking up from his phone to emphasis the importance of the question. 

“No.” Yaku assured him, “No.” 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing was the next day Lev didn't just have coffee with Yaku during the cat cafe’s most okay employee. The next day Lev brought along lunch from the food truck across the street. He brought lunch for two. 

There was no strict rule against outside food in Catcus. They had the entrance fee to pay for caring for the cats. The food was mostly just there to encourage people to stay longer. So if food got them to stay longer, then there was really no harm where the food came from. 

At least that's what Yaku told himself as he waved off Lev’s apologies and Kenma’s judging looks. And the tacos were good. Much better than Lev’s pitiful sad face made them look a few months ago. 

Lev brought lunch with him the next day. And the next. 

And just like that Yaku was spending his lunch break with Lev nearly every day. Occasionally their knees would bump together under the table, but that was to be expected when you were sharing a small cafe table with a pair of talkative stilts and three cats. What wasn't expected was how often their legs stayed touching. Or the weird floppy sensation in Yaku's stomach each time it happened. 

“He's back.” Kenma said about a week into The Lev Lunch arrangement. Kenma never really let go of the forbidding tone used to warn of Lev's imminent entrance, but not every time he said it Yaku's stomach did that floppy thing. He had to work to hide his grin. 

“Oh my god,” Kuroo said from Kenma’s side, “Oh my god!” 

Yaku frowned at the accusatory finger Kuroo was pointing at him, “What?” 

“You just checked your shirt! Kenma he checked his shirt.” Kenma nodded without looking away from the computer to confirm if Yaku had or had not checked his shirt. 

“Yeah? I did? I am a professional who prides himself on not having cat food or puke on his uniform in spite of the environment. And I-” 

“You never used to care before!” Kuroo interrupted, “Admit it. You wanted to make sure you didn't have cat food or puke or whatever on your shirt because you want to look good” 

“No” Yaku said glancing towards the door. 

“You wanna look _gooood._ ” Kuroo repeated.

“It's a thing.” Kenma added. 

“No. _No._ ” He pointed between the two of them, “You don't know what you're talking about. Shut up. It's _not_ a thing.” 

Just then the doors slid open and Lev burst through like an eruption of long limbs and enthusiasm carrying a bag of food like always. “Good morning Catcus Cafe!”He said, tripping slightly over the doorframe, “Yaku, are you taking your break soon?”

“Yes.” Yaku said, then coughed in attempt to cover how his voice had just _cracked._ “Yes. Uh. I'll be over in a minute.” 

Lev just grinned and went to go find an empty table for them. As soon as he sat down a large tabby commandeered his lap. Yaku did one final check, plucking off a large clump of fur off his knee and ignoring the snickers from Kuroo, and went to join Lev. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“He likes you.” 

“I know.” 

“He _likes_ you.” Kuroo repeated. 

“Ugh.”

“Has he said anything about your height in the past month?” 

Yaku draped himself over the counter, covered his face, and groaned again. 

“Guys,” Kenma said, “The orange one puked up a hairball in the macaron and I don't want to clean it.” 

Kuroo rooted around under the counter for their old ‘cat puke’ cleaning rag and wordlessly laid it by Yaku's hand. Without lifting his head Yaku glared at the rag, then up at Kuroo. 

Kuroo shrugged, “I don't work here.” 

Yaku stomped off towards the macaroon crime scene with rag in tow. “Fuck off.” He called back to Kuroo still laughing behind him. 

“You like him.” Kuroo called back. 

Yaku wheeled around and threw that rag at him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The worst had finally happened. Of all the bad scenarios Yaku had imagined when he started working at Catcus Cat Cafe he never imagined this. He anticipated getting various cat related fluids on his pants, he drew up contingency plans if he suddenly became highly allergic to cats, he planned on having to deal with annoying customers. Yaku did not plan on developing _feelings_ for annoying customers. 

The worst possible situation was that Yaku had a crush on Lev. 

Lev was over in his regular chair, reading a book and gently petting a cat curled up by his side, while Yaku was over by the check in desk quietly imploding because he looked so cute. His grey hair looked so soft in the early afternoon light. His big hands looked almost graceful while he stroked down the cats back, fingers scratching under her chin. He had a cute little half smile at whatever he was reading. Yaku wanted to swallow that small smile whole. If Lev did anything else even remotely cute Yaku swore he was going to sigh wistfully. 

He settled on groaning instead. 

“I know.” Said Kenma to his left. 

“I like him.” Yaku admitted. 

“I know.” 

“ _I like him._ ” Yaku groaned again. 

“So I've heard.” Yaku wanted to put his head through the desk and Kenma wasn't helping. He wouldn't even look up from whatever game he was half heartedly playing on his phone to help council his dear coworker. 

“He's cute.” Yaku said. 

“I,” Kenma paused, looked up, and scrunched his nose, “I don't have commentary on that.” 

“He's really cute,” Yaku told him. 

“He's tall.” Kenma returned to his game. Yaku only groaned in response from the puddle of gross emotion feeling mush he'd been reduced to, so Kenma added, “He likes you.” 

The puddle of gross emotion feeling mush groaned again. 

Eventually Yaku composed himself enough to ask, “Hey, is Kuroo coming in today at all?” 

Kenma shrugged, “Probably not. No one's sick and no of them need a checkup or shots or whatever he does. So probably not. Why? Do we need him?” 

“No,” Yaku said, “If I'm going to humiliate myself right now I'd like as few witnesses as possible.” 

“I'll take video for him if anything really embarrassing happens.”

“Alright blondy.” Yaku gathered up his courage and left his dignity behind as he stepped out from behind the desk. He rolled his shoulders. Then he rolled his head back and forth. As if his bad crush was just a sore muscle he could shake off. He rolled his eyes and strode over to Lev. 

“Hey,” Lev looked up when he heard Yaku and his grin widened. Yaku swallowed heavily, “What are you reading? Tolstoy?” 

“Why?” Lev asked, “Because I'm Russian?” 

“Well,”

“What if I asked if you read children's books because you're short?” 

“Hey!” Yaku kicked the back of his chair, “It's a classic or whatever!” 

“So is Dr Suess.” 

Yaku frowned as seriously as he could manage and pointed to the door, “Get out.” 

Lev's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. He began stuttering and stammering, “What? I'm sorry. Yaku. I'm sorry please don't kick me out I brought good stuff for lunch today. Please? I'm sorry.” 

“Nope,” Yaku insisted, crossing his arms over his chest, “Out. We’re going leaving for lunch today?” 

“But I-. Why?” 

“Because I feel weird about trying to flirt with you where I work.” 

Lev's book slipped from his hand and fell to the floor with a surprisingly loud thud. The cat curled up against him jumped to her feet and fled barely a moment before Lev jumped to his own feet. He scurried towards the front door, tripping over his feet and nearly taking out another cat tree in the process. 

He waited patiently just outside the automatic door while Yaku made his way across the main floor. Yaku calmly walked out of Catcus, pointedly ignoring Kenma’s raised eyebrows. He crossed street heading towards the food truck without looking back to make sure Lev was following, he was following. Once in the parking lot where the truck made its daily home Yaku planted his feet and spun around to face Lev. 

“Okay, listen. The thing is I-” He started but was interrupted by Lev reaching out, holding the sides of his face with both hands, and leaning down to crash their lips together. 

Yaku experienced what could only be described as a power outage. Not blacking out, but all his circuits just sort of failed at once. Lev kissed him. 

Once all of his nerve endings were up and running again Yaku jumped back, startled.

“Uhh,” He said, still dazed. 

“Oh my gosh,” Lev started backpedaling, “I'm so sorry. Yaku I didn't mean to. Well I did mean to. I wanted to. But wow I'm sorry if-” 

“Lev, chill for a second. No, yeah, that was fine. It was fine. I just was planning on waiting until I asked you to get food or coffee or something. Fine. Totally fine.” 

“We get lunch all the time. We get coffee all the time Yaku.” Lev pointed out. 

“Yeah, but you know. Like. _Coffee._ ” Yaku said, raising one eyebrow heavy with implication. But Lev just stared back like the simple beanstalk he was. “Lev. I wanted to kiss you after going on a date. A date that, again, isn't at my place of employment.” 

“Oh. Right.” Said Lev, nodding seriously. He was real, very cute. 

Yaku sighed, “Alright, fuck it.” 

He reached up and grabbed a hold of Lev's shirt collar. Pulling the tall boy down to be face, and more importantly mouth, level Yaku leaned and kissed him again. 

Lev immediately opened his mouth into the kiss and his eagerness would have been embarrassing if Yaku wasn't so busy enjoying said enthusiasm. Yaku worked his tongue against Lev's. The taller boy cradled the side of Yaku's jaw in one hand while the other hand pressed against the space between Yaku's shoulder blades, pulling him closer. Yaku still grasped at Lev's t-shirt. 

After a few moments of truly magnificent tonguing outside the taco truck Yaku felt Lev grin into the kiss. A moment later he felt the tall boy laugh against his mouth. 

“What?” Yaku asked, unable to keep from smiling himself.

Lev laughed, “You're so small. I can barely kiss you way down there.” 

Yaku's smile vanished. He pulled away, “I'm gonna kick your ass I swear to god Lev.”

“Wait, no.” Lev pouted, “I'm sorry, please don't stop.” 

“Go,” Yaku said, pointing to a picnic table at the edge of the parking lot, “Go sit over there.” 

Lev trotted over, arms swinging while Yaku followed. He plopped down facing the table, elbows propped up on the wood surface. 

“No, turn around,” Yaku told him and Lev swiveled to face him, long legs extending before him, with a small frown of confusion. The frown melted away as Yaku settled in to stand between Lev's legs. Truth be told, Yaku's calves had been getting a little sore standing on his toes to kiss Lev. This would be much better, he thought as he leaned down to kiss him again. Much better.

**Author's Note:**

> hey my guy
> 
> I'm over at sweetpotatogucci on tumblr for volleyball content and corvidyouths for various other things seeya


End file.
